Hope we can continue with momentum : Sourav Ganguly

One could not miss the confidence and body language of Pune mentor-cum-skipper Sourav Ganguly as he answered a barrage of questions from the media here on the eve of their clash against Adam Gilchristled Punjab at the Subrata Roy Sahara stadium on Saturday.

“We could not have asked for a better start to the tournament. Hope we continue in the same direction on Sunday and give the Pune fans something to cheer about,”said the former India skipper, who defended the performance of the Pune top order.“I cannot lay the blame on the batsman for yesterday’s low score. It wasn’t easy to bat at Wankhede,” explained the 39-year-old Ganguly.

Dada also applauded the efforts of his bowlers who sucked the life out of Mumbai’s challenge. “We were always in control of the game thanks to the bowlers,”said Ganguly, who defended his decision to not introduce Steven Smith into the attack. “Why fiddle with a combination that was working wonders for us?,” said Ganguly.

When probed about the uncharted playing surface at the Subrata Roy Sahara stadium, Ganguly said, “It does not have the turn or the slowness of Wankhede. It looks almost flat.”

On the stadium: “It’s a terrific stadium. It’s got great facilities for players and fans alike.But the real great news is Pune has already got its first international game a T20 against England.”

© TOI